tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post115016519019809021..comments2023-12-02T03:36:14.917-05:00Comments on Tracy Helgeson Art: Pricing StructuresTracy Helgesonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07510044613771862211noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post-1150284177953361792006-06-14T07:22:00.000-04:002006-06-14T07:22:00.000-04:00Hi Jeff, I do tend to agree with what you have hea...Hi Jeff, I do tend to agree with what you have heard. It really is important to have consistent prices everywhere. But if you are maintaining a studio space in order to sell your work, the prices there should be the same as in a gallery. After all, you are marketing and have expenses as well. Auctions? perhaps you could sell different work in the auction-different medium, subject matter, size, to justify a sale at a different price. Just my opinion of course.Tracy Helgesonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07510044613771862211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post-1150253276111590872006-06-13T22:47:00.000-04:002006-06-13T22:47:00.000-04:00Thanks Tracy for another terrific post on the Nuts...Thanks Tracy for another terrific post on the Nuts&Bolts of being an artist. I've been struggling with this issue since I started selling 2 years ago; I've tried a number of different approaches, and it's been complicated by the fact that I sell out of my studio (where I get a lot of foot traffic), at auction online, and at galleries. The resulting scatter-shot pricing has been inconsistent and probably unsatisfactory to everybody. <BR/><BR/>I've heard over and over again how important consistency is in pricing, and I'm trying to make my prices more uniform. I do really like the simplicity of your clustered approach, and I may consider a similar structure.<BR/><BR/>By the way, I appreciate your refreshing openness in disclosing your prices - this kind of information is helpful to a lot of people in making decisions about pricing their own work. And I do believe those are very good prices.Jeffrey Hayeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17592087972176625764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post-1150241485655852432006-06-13T19:31:00.000-04:002006-06-13T19:31:00.000-04:00Hi Shan, Glad to know you weren't sure about posti...Hi Shan, Glad to know you weren't sure about posting your prices as well! I have definitely enjoyed this topic too.Tracy Helgesonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07510044613771862211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post-1150235375992544282006-06-13T17:49:00.000-04:002006-06-13T17:49:00.000-04:00Ed, People always want a discount! I never request...Ed, People always want a discount! I never request a discount when I buy art because I know how that eats away at the artists, and gallery profit. And you are right about low prices indicating a little value. <BR/><BR/>Lisa, I am sure that you can find a way to set up a clustered price list, hey that's what we should name this! 2006 Clustered Price List.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, I have mixed feelings about pricing work based on quality. I understand it and know a few artists who do that but I am not sure I'd want to announce to everyone which of my own work that I think is great and which is just so-so. If a buyer falls in love with a piece that I think isn't the best, what am I telling them? They have bad taste? Please don't think I am saying you that you shouldn't price things that way. I am just pointing out how it can be interpreted. I do show work that I don't think is my very best, but I never say which those are, and very often the so-so one ends up being a piece that someone connects with and buys. On the other hand, I totally understand wanting to get a better price when your genius show itself! I think it's a matter of preference ultimately.<BR/><BR/>I do eventually sell things deeply discounted, but I think I'll discuss that issue in tomorrow's post.Tracy Helgesonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07510044613771862211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post-1150225069061893992006-06-13T14:57:00.000-04:002006-06-13T14:57:00.000-04:00I really am loving this idea of clustering. My pi...I really am loving this idea of clustering. My pieces really range in size as I don't have a canvas to dictate the size and they all just kind of grow to whatever works for each piece. So they are all totally different and it's a pain to keep track of.<BR/><BR/>I'm going to look into this and see how it can work for me. As I mentioned on Shan's blog, I also adjust my prices based on how good I think the piece is - some of my work is definitely better than others and I price it accordingly (a few of my favorite pieces are nearly double in price compared to those of similar size that I don't think are show stoppers). I suppose this is very non-buyer-friendly but I do it anyway.<BR/><BR/>Thanks also for including info about older pieces also - I do the same thing but it took me quite a while to settle on that idea as noone ever talks about these things.Lisa Callhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08757517309377110626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post-1150212831364590722006-06-13T11:33:00.000-04:002006-06-13T11:33:00.000-04:00Tracy, your prices look good. They are similar to ...Tracy, your prices look good. They are similar to my prices. I like the idea of clustering. I have also found that if prices are too low then people asume there is little or no value to your work. I have had customers try to negotiate prices. I will only do this if they are buying multiple pieces at the same time. I will sell directly from my studio if the gallery is not within a 100 miles radius. However, I keep the prices the same as the pieces in the gallery.Ed Maskevichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06505691052584290449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post-1150211858563046872006-06-13T11:17:00.000-04:002006-06-13T11:17:00.000-04:00Hi Anna, Thanks, I make that exception too. Anythi...Hi Anna, Thanks, I make that exception too. Anything that hasn't been shown previously gets the new price.Tracy Helgesonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07510044613771862211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22266501.post-1150211571601314692006-06-13T11:12:00.000-04:002006-06-13T11:12:00.000-04:00Hi Tracy-Good post. Your story sounds a lot like m...Hi Tracy-<BR/>Good post. Your story sounds a lot like mine. You did mention something I forgot to write about - the issue of older (cheaper) prices on older work. The only exception I make to that rule is if the particular piece of work hasn't been in a show yet, in which case I feel free to raise the price to current levels, even if the work is a year old.<BR/>AnnaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com